Quick tips: interview questions for teachers

Teaching is a rewarding, meaningful career. However, before you can head into the classroom, you must first go through the all-important interview process. Interviewing for a teaching position is similar to other interviews, you’ll need to meet with your potential employer to discuss qualifications and see if you’re fit for the job at hand. The questions are different because teaching deals with children, not clients; hence you’ll have some challenging interview questions. The following are some questions you may come across if you are interviewing for a new teaching position, and some tips to answer them.

1. What is your biggest weakness?

We all know by now that if you say you’re too detail oriented, or maybe you work too hard doesn’t make you stand out from the rest of potential candidates. Those answers are about as cliche as the question itself. But interviewers keep asking. Why? They’re looking for honesty. And an easy way to trip you up. If you tell them that you like to sleep in and will probably be late to class often, well, enough said. But seriously, they want an honest answer, show them your character, and how you’d be the best for their classroom.

2. Who Inspired You To Become A Teacher?

You’re guaranteed to be asked this question. Why do you want to teach? Many interviews throw this curveball at prospective applicants. Beyond answering that you want a paycheck, reply to this with what got you interested in education. There has to be some spark that ignited the passion for teaching within you. Maybe it was a loving second-grade teacher or a college professor that opened your eyes on a new subject. Dredge up why you went to college in the first place.

3. How do you communicate with parents?

Having an open door policy is important as a teacher and will be expected. Describe your communication plans, such as teacher newsletters and assignment books that parents are required to sign. How will you run your parent-teacher nights?

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Rehearse your answers before the interview. Be careful, you don’t want to sound like you’re reading your answers off of a cue card. But you don’t want a question to stump you. Let your answers flow naturally and show the interviewer you are confident of your knowledge and experience.

4. What are your credentials?

This question is less of a query and more of preparation. When you set off to run the gamut of questions for teachers, make sure you are thoroughly accredited and certified. Don’t embarrass yourself by not completing all the necessary, although tedious, accreditations that come with being a mentor. Indeed, you’ll most likely never make it to an interview without getting yourself squared away, but it is good to be prepared on where you’ve received your teaching credentials.

5. What is your teaching philosophy?

One of the key queries for advisers is usually based on your teaching philosophy. What method of instruction do you a favor? Administrators will invariably ask some variation of this essential speculations. Just focus on what you think works for students, this depends on the level of school you intend to teach. Do you feel younger students should be free to roam and develop on their own with lots of open time? Or do they need a guiding hand that structures their development?

6. How would you help a student who was not performing well?

Teachers act as guides as well as mentors. A student who is having trouble with the given work will likely need some extra, personal attention. Explain how you would handle this kind of situation. Would you ask the student to stay after school for tutoring, or do you have another idea? This is sometimes a tricky question for teachers, think about some real life example you could bring to the interview to show them how you’ll work your way around this everyday problem.

7. How would you teach students to be accepting of each other?

The classroom is also a place to teach students appropriate life skills. Teaching students how to be accepting of another person will be useful in both the classroom and their future workplace. Do your best to be creative and think of a genuinely useful plan. Again, be as detailed and thorough as possible.

8. How do you prepare your students for standardized assessments?

That’s a simple enough question. Is the interviewer asking a straight forward question? Don’t worry; they are, this is not a trick question. They’re looking to see how much experience you have with the standardized assessments. Are you up to date on the tests that are given in your school system? Now’s the time to name drop. And you’ll get extra points if you can easily talk about the tests’ format.

9. Could you tell us about yourself?

You can certainly expect this question. It is one of the most common, and one of the most important questions you will be asked. Be prepared with a brief statement about your education and experience. Tell them your certifications. And explain to them why you would love this job. You should answer this carefully and wisely because this is a time for the school to learn about your character and show them you’re not a Trunchbull.

10. How will you introduce your students to state standards?

Do not lose your confidence with this frequent interview question. If you’re up to date with the state standards, you should be able to translate the idea to your students easily. Make sure you know how to communicate to your employer that you understand the current state standards and how you’ll bring them into your classroom.

11. How will you fulfill the needs of the student with an IEP?

The full form of IEP is “Individualized Education Plan”. The students who fall under this category have some special needs. You must always stay alert to the activities which are carried by an IEP student. Handling an IEP student may embrace anything which can take account of “supplementary time required for testing this child.” Braille textbooks are the best options which can oblige you by getting some unbeaten suggestions. You should answer this carefully and wisely because it requires you to have a knowledge of the recent technology used in schools.

Questions you receive while being interviewed for a teacher, may be different, but one thing remains true: do your research. Learn all that you can about the school district you are interviewing for and make a note of their needs. Being prepared allows you to answer questions carefully and adequately. It is also important that you make a note of some questions to ask during an interview, you will likely be given time in the end to ask them, and it shows how determined you are to begin your teaching career.

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CEO and Co-Founder of LaowaiCareer. Originally from Belarus, Yuri has been living in Beijing for the past ten years where he has turned his passion for helping foreigners into a successful business. He enjoys football and once had a pet pig when Beijing was less of a modern city than it is today.

A Message from Yuri Khlystov

As CEO of LaowaiCareer job board, Yuri has worked for the past seven years with a talented team to establish partnerships with over 2,000 organizations that offer positions to ambitious people ready for a challenge.